Thank You, Lord

Photo credit: geri-jean 

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

 

~*~

Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to wake up in a warm bed next to my husband who continues to love me in spite of my bed head and morning breath in a day when marriages are as disposable as paper plates.

Thank you, Lord, for the ability to walk on my own two feet.

Thank you, Lord, for indoor plumbing.

Thank you, Lord, for being surrounded by family today.

Thank you, Lord, for giving us a warm house, especially with the rain outside.

Thank you, Lord, the dirty dishes today as I cook food you have provided.

Thank you, Lord, for having a day off from the job you have provided.

Thank you, Lord, for providing us with Internet so I can stay connected with incredible friends.

Thank you, Lord, for freedom and for those who continue to fight to keep our country free. 

Thank you, Lord, for your grace, your mercy, and your unfailing unconditional love.

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Amen.

What Happened to Thanksgiving?

A week before Halloween I dashed into Walmart for candy. I had to walk through the Christmas candy to get to the tiny section of Halloween candy. Just a few days prior, the entire aisle had been filled with Halloween candy, but now, it was reduced to a few shelves. What happened to Thanksgiving?

At the beginning of November, my mom went to the dollar store to pick up harvest-themed paper plates for a get together. The harvest stuff had been replaced by Christmas. What happened to Thanksgiving?

Yesterday I stopped at a store to check out the yarn selection and found all of the harvest/Thanksgiving things put in a 50% off clearance bin. Christmas music serenaded customers as they shopped. What happened to Thanksgiving?

I understand retailers like to get a jump on the holidays, but Christmas decorations in July? Seriously?

I love Christmas. It's one of my favorite holidays, but I think we need to pause and reflect on the holiday that comes at the end of November that seems to get a passing nod between Halloween and commercialized Christmas--Thanksgiving.

With Thanksgiving approaching, we have so much to be thankful for. Not just one day out of the year where we gather around the table, but every day God's table is laden with an abundance of blessings.

Among cooking, welcoming family, and scanning those Black Friday ads, take time to say thanks for all God has provided. But don't limit your thanks to just one day. Be thankful every day, and find the joy in all circumstances. 

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!

~Psalm 100:4

Save Your Sanity--Back up Your Files

Photo credit: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1160562

Cross-posted at MBT Ponderers

In February 2008, during the month of love and romance, my heart was broken. One of the most beloved in my life contracted a terrible virus and died. With tears in my eyes, I said goodbye and mourned the loss of my beloved Sid—my Dell laptop.

Hubby bought Sid after I completed my first NaNoWriMo manuscript, and he realized I was serious about this writing business. I think the rest of the family wanted a turn with the family computer. After Sid,  I crossed to the dark side and bought a MacBook that I named Belle.

Computer crashes can cause the users to grieve the loss of their files, including documents, music, and once-in-a-lifetime photos.

A few months prior to Sid’s virus, Camy Tang posted about Mozy online backup service on the ACFW e-mail loop. I checked it out, and then signed up for a monthly subscription. I'm so glad I did. When my Dell crashed, I would've been distraught if I had lost my files.

Backing up my computer is vital for my career. My in-home business files are on it, plus my music, ebooks, and 13,000+ (no exaggeration) photos.

Just as you should scan your computer daily for viruses, backing up your system on a daily basis is vital because you don’t know what could happen. If your computer is stolen, damaged, or crashes, your files are gone unless you have saved them in an alternate format. 

Writers should consider an online storage system for backup because imagine losing finished manuscripts during a power surge or computer crash? Flash drives, CDs, and external hard drives are fine for short-term, but I would recommend something off-site like an online back up service in case of a fire, theft or other tragedy. 

I use Mozy, but there are other online backup services. Check them out and see which one works best for you. And don't forget to back up on a daily basis. After all, aren't your time and career worth the investment?

The MBT Ponderers have put together a Thankful Basket. If you’d like to have a chance to win our basket of goodies, head over to share a thought about a blog post or tell us what you’re thankful for!